'SII hasn't contracted full production to Centre; states can get vaccines'

The union government on Thursday clarified that Serum Institute of India (SII) has not contracted all its production of coronavirus vaccine to the Centre till May 25 and that State governments are free to procure vaccine doses from the vaccine manufacturers as per the liberalised pricing and accelerated vaccination strategy.

"There have been some media reports suggesting that Serum has contracted all its production till May 25, 2021 to the Centre, and therefore till that date the State governments will not be able to procure vaccine from SII. These media reports are based on incorrect facts and are without any basis," said the union health ministry in a statement

In order to expand and liberalise the countrywide vaccination drive, the union government has on April 19 announced the liberalised pricing and accelerated national vaccination strategy which would come into effect from May 1.

A key feature of the announcement is that  the “vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to Govt. of India and would be free to supply remaining 50 per cent doses to State governments and in the other than Central government channel”. 

"The state governments are free to purchase the vaccine doses from the vaccine manufacturers," said the health ministry.

Therefore, it is very clear that every month out of the total CDL cleared doses available with any vaccine manufacturer, 50 per cent doses would be available for other than Central government channels.